Online Library of Selected Images:
-- SHIPS of the CONFEDERATE STATES --

CSS Arkansas (1862-1862)

CSS Arkansas, an ironclad ram, was built at Memphis,
Tennessee, in 1861-62. Incomplete when Union forces closed in
on Memphis in May 1862, she was towed up the Yazoo River to Yazoo
City, Mississippi, and finished as far as circumstances allowed.
On 15 July 1862, her enterprising commanding officer, Lieutenant
Isaac Newton Brown,
CSN, took Arkansas down the Yazoo, where she encountered
the U.S. gunboats Carondelet
and Tyler and the ram Queen
of the West, leaving the first two badly damaged. Continuing
out into the Mississippi River, she boldly fought her way through
the assembled Federal fleet and came to rest under the protection
of the Confederate fortress at Vicksburg. While at Vicksburg on
22 July, Arkansas was attacked by the Queen of the West
and ironclad Essex, but was not severely damaged. Though badly in need of repairs, she was next ordered to steam down the river to assist Confederate forces in an attack on Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While carrying out this mission on 6 August 1862, CSS Arkansas suffered a severe machinery breakdown during an engagement with the Essex, drifted ashore and was burned to prevent capture.

This page features views of CSS Arkansas and provides
a link to images of that ship's actions.

Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 61912-KN (Color)

CSS Arkansas (1862-1862)

Sepia wash drawing by R.G. Skerrett, 1904.

Courtesy of the Navy Art Collection, Washington, DC.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 93KB; 740 x 490 pixels

Photo #: NH 57272

CSS Arkansas (1862-1862)

19th Century photograph of a sketch by S. Milliken, CSN.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 93KB; 740 x 535 pixels

Photo #: NH 73376

CSS Arkansas (1862-1862)

Line engraving after a drawing by J.O. Davidson, published in
"Battles and Leaders of the Civil War", Volume III,
page 573, depicting the ship fitting out off Yazoo City, Mississippi,
in June-July 1862. Assisting in the work is the CSS Capitol.